Page 89 of Hunted Hearts
He compressed his lips. “It had to be one of the VIPs who planted it. When they clustered around her to listen, the cams didn’t pick it up. We couldn’tsee.”
“I know.” Her eyes were filled with compassion and a knowing that made him tear his stare away a second time.
Silently, he dropped into a seat and leaned forward, head in his hands. He didn’t move as Willow picked up the remote and switched on all the monitors. Decker settled in the chair beside Theo. His solid presence was comfortable even if he didn’t speak. Maybebecausehe didn’t.
What was there to say?
At the sound of feet on the floor, he lifted his head. Each of his brothers were there, filing in one by one. Carson and Oaks,his oldest brothers who were always his protectors. Colt, who cheered him on in everything he did from going out for football to bareback bronco events in the rodeo. Closer to him in age, Gray and Denver were his playmates.
And Willow, the glue holding the whole family together. At first, the brothers made a pact to stay close for their baby sister’s sake, but somewhere along the way, she started holding them together.
He caught her gaze and held it for a beat, trying to convey everything he couldn’t say aloud.
Seeming to understand, she walked over and squeezed his shoulder before slipping into a seat beside Decker.
Theo took in how close the pair sat and wondered if something was going on between Willow and Decker. He didn’t get long to dwell on the matter before Carson pointed at the screens.
Each showed a different view.
“Special ops are taking down the people involved in the charity as we speak.”
Theo watched a man dart across the screen on foot. From three sides, men chased after him. One tackled him to the ground.
When he shifted his attention to the next screen, a special operative was restraining a guy dressed in a suit. And the third screen was a drone view of the front door of a mansion being kicked in. Men in full tactical gear rushed inside.
A bit of the worry in Theo released, and he pushed a breath out through his nose.
Theo glanced around the table, locking eyes with each of them. “Thank you. I mean it. I wouldn’t have made it this far without every single one of you.”
Denver leaned back in his chair, arms crossed but gaze steady. “We’ve always been a team.”
“A family,” Gray added quietly, the word anchoring the moment.
And Theo felt it—deep in his bones. He belonged here. Whatever cracks he carried, whatever weight he bore, his brothers would shoulder it with him. They had his six—always had—and he’d go to hell and back for them.
Carson cleared his throat. “We owe Decker our gratitude for protecting Willow and the ranch. Thank you.”
Decker nodded. “You’re welcome.”
His voice came out low and rough with disuse. Willow gave a small start at the sound of it, her gaze raking over his profile.
Theo saw that everyone was as worried about Decker as they were grateful. They all knew healing wasn’t linear and came with a lot of backslides, but Theo worried that he wouldn’t be able to deal with the pressures of civilian life if he left the therapy program.
At that moment, a light patter of footsteps broke into Theo’s thoughts. Before Juliette ever reached the doorway, he shoved away from the table and gained his feet.
Her gaze locked on him, raw and unguarded, her heart shining through her eyes.
It hit him like a bullet to the chest—his chest caught, his pulse kicked, and a jolt of something fierce and electric surged through him.
In that moment, there wasn’t a shred of doubt left. Juliette had played her way into his soul with every note, every glance, every brave choice.
And the next gift he gave her wouldn’t having wrapping paper or a bow. It would be a promise.
A ring.
Because she wasn’t just a woman he was protecting—she was the woman he couldn’t imagine life without.
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